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I 7 ShetsSheet 1. J. H. COLLINS, 'JI. & I. N. KNAPP.

R. S. COLLINS, Administramx and W. J. COLLINS, Administrator, of J. HCOLLINS, Jr., De cd. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

No. 480,248. PatentedAug.v 9, 1892..

( No Model.)

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J. H. COLLINS, Jr. 8: I. N. KNAPP. R. S. COLLINS, Administratrix, and W.J. COLLINS, Administrator, of J. H COLLINS, Jr., Decd. APPARATUS FORMANUFAGTURING GAS.

No. 480,248. Patented Aug. 9, 1892.

Z LZXZZJ TNESSES:

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. H. COLLINS, Jr.. & I. N. KNAPP. R. S. COLLINS, Administratrix, and W.J. COLLINS, Administrato r, of J. H COLLINS, Jr., Decd.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

Patented Aug. 9, 1892.

INVENT WITNESSES ORS id i THE NORRIS FEYERS w, mm

(No Model.) 7 Sheets--Sheet 4. J. H. COLLINS, Jr. & I. N. KNAPP. R. S.COLLINS, 'Administratfix, and W. J. COLLINS, Administrator, of J. HCOLLINS, Jr., Decd.

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R. S. COLLINS, Administratrix, and W. J. COLLINS, Administrator, of J. HCOLLINS, Jr., Dec'd. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

No. 480,248. Patented Aug. 9, 1892.

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J. H. COLLINS, Jr. 81: I. N. KNAPP. R. S.v COLLINS, Administratrix, andW. J, COLLINS, Administrator, of J. H COLLINS, Jr., Decd. APPARATUS FORMANUFACTURING GAS.

No. 480,248. Patented Aug. 9, 1892;

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' R. S. COLLINS, Administratrix, an W. J. COLLINS, Administrator, of J.H GoLLms, Jr., Decd.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

No. 480,248. A Patented Au 9, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH H. COLLINS, JR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND ISAAC N.KNAPP, OF GREENIVICH, CONNECTICUT; REBECCA S. COLLINS AND WILLIAM J.COLLINS, ADMINISTRATORS OF SAID JOSEPH H. COLLINS, JR, DECEASED, ANDSAID KNAPP ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE UNITED GASIMPROVEMENT COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 480,248, dated August9, 1892.

Application 'filed May 6, 1888. Serial No. 272,954. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOSEPH I-I. COLLINS, Jr., of the city and county ofPhiladelphia, State of Pennsylvania, and ISAAC N. KNAPP, of Greenwich,county of Fail-field, State of Connecticut, have invented a new anduseful Improved Apparatus for Manufacturing Gas, of which the followingis a true and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates primarily to the construction of apparatus formanufacturing gas by the practically-continuous destructive distillationof pulverized carbonaceous matter, appliances bein g preferably usedwith such ap paratus whereby steam at high temperature is brought incontact with the hot carbon residue of the distillation, so as to formby its decomposition carbonic-oxide and hydrogen gas, and provisionbeing also preferably made for the introduction of hydrocarbon oils andfor maintaining the mixed gases and vapor at a high heat for asufficient time to insure the formation of a fixed gas. o have also madecertain improvements in producer-gas generators and in the system ofburning the pro-,

ducer gas to heat gas-rctorts which are especially designed for use withthe apparatus before referred to, and which will best be understoodafter a description of the apparatus shown in the drawings.

The apparatus herein described is designed and intended for the carryingout of certain improvements in the method or process of making gas whichwe have invented, and which forms the subject-matter of Letters PatentNo. 463,139,dated November 17, 1891, the leading features of saidprocess consisting of the continuous production of gas by feedingfinely-divided coal-dust or other carbonaceous matter into a narrowvertical and externally-heated retort, so as to effect a destructivedistillation of the dust and a high heating of the carbonaceous residue,introducing steam into contact with said heated carbonaceous matter, soas to form water-gas, and, if desired, enriching the gases by theintroduction of oil, all of said steps being carried on inexternally-heated retorts, so that the production of gas is continuousand uniform for any length of time.

Our present application is intended to cover the mechanical features ofwhat We believe to be the best construction of apparatus for carryingout our said process in its most perfect development, many of saidfeatures being, however, capable of useful application independent ofeach other.

Reference being now had to the drawings which illustrate our invention,Figure 1 is a plan view of a gas-making apparatus having ourimprovements; Fig. 2, a similar view in section on the horizontal planeindicated by the line 6 6 of Fig. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on thebroken line 7 '7 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4

is a vertical section on line 2 2 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a verticalsection on line 1 l of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line l 4of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a vertical section on line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 isa similar section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 0 is a horizontalsectional view of the four-way valve marked H in the drawings.

A indicates a producer-gas generator, as shown in the drawings, and aswe prefer to construct it we provide it with two air-admission openingsor passages A and A one above and one below the grate, (indicated at ain the drawings,) and each opening being adapted to be closed at will.We also provide it with two gas-exit openings or passages A and A,which, like the air-openings, are situatcd one below and the other abovethe grate a.

a and a are valves, by which gas-openings A and A can be closed oropened at will, and A is a conduit or flue leading from passage A intothe same conduit or line, (marked C in the drawings,) which leads fromopening A and through intermediate flues, &c., hereinafter described,connects it with an exhauster, (marked F in the drawings.) In

normal operation the air-opening A and gasopening A are closed and theopenings A and A open. The exhauster then creates a suction in flue Cand the air enters the generator through opening A, passes through thefuel on grate a, and the producer gas formed enters the flue O throughopenings A \Vhen it is necessary to clean the fire at the grate a,openings A and A are closed and openings A and A opened, the suction influe C then drawing air into the generator through opening A and upwardthrough the fire, the gas passing out through opening A and flue A tothe flue 0. As will be seen, the generation of gas need never beinterrupted where this device is used, a fact of prime importance where,as in our apparatus, an uninterrupted process is to be carried on.

B indicates the main structure of our apparatus. It contains the retortsand heatingfiues, and is preferably built of brick inclosed in an ironshell. The fines A and C, already referred to, are formed in thisstructure, the flue 0 leading from the generator A to a fluechamber 0 inthe front wall of structure B. (See Figs. 3 and 7.) C and C are uprightfiues or branches leading out of chamber 0 and having valves C and C bywhich they can be closed or their opening regulated.

D, D, D and D indicate upright fiuechambers lying inside the fiues O andC and connected with them by means of the fluepassages d d, d d, cl 01and d d the flues d leading from O to D; lines (1 from C to D; flues dfrom C to D and flues d from C to D and each of said flues havingregulating-valves (indicated at c, 0, c and v The duplication of thesaid fluesis advisable, as enabling a better distribution of gas to beeffected in the flue-chambers D, &c.

E, E, E E E and E are vertically-arranged rows of combustion-fines e e,&c., preferably made square in section and each row being placed at somelittle distance from the one adjoining it-say about three inches-so asto form narrow vertical spaces, as shown, and hereinafter referred to asretorts. The finerows E E, &c., are connected with the fluechambers D D,&c., and with similar fluechambers D D and D at the back of structure B,so as to form a continuous tortuous passage for the gases, as indicatedby the arrows in Fig. 2, and we will hereinafter refer to the system ofupright flue-chambers D D, &c., as connacting-chambers, a name whichcorrectly describes their function.

F is an exhauster; G, a pipe-section connected with the exhauster; G, apipe-section opening to the air; I and l, pipes leading from pipes G andG, and H a four-way valve, by moving which pipe I is connected with thepipe G and the exhauster and pipe I with the air through pipe-section G,or the reverse connection made at will. Pipes land I load, respectively,into regenerators-such, for instance, as are indicated at J and J theregenerator J being connected by flue K with connecting-chamber D andthe regenerator J by fiue K with connecting-chamberD valves k and isbeing provided, so that the opening of fines K and K can be regulated atwill.

The operation of the above-described heating system of our apparatus isas follows: The valve H is turned, for instance, so as to connect thepipe I with the exhauster F and the pi peI with the open pipe G. Theexhauster is then set in operation, with the result of drawing in twocurrents of air, the first entering the generator A and passing throughthe fuel therein into flue C as producer gas, which is led toflue-chamber G and, the valve 0 being opened, to flue 0 from which itisadmitted to chamber D through fiues (l. The second current of air isdrawn in through pipe-section Gand passes through pipe I,

, regenerator J, and conduit K into the chamber D, where it meets theproducer gas and supplies oxygen for its combustion. The burning gasesare drawn by the exhaust from chamber D through the fiues eof thevertical row of fines E, thence through chamber D and flue-row E tochamber D, and so on through to the combustion-fines andconnecting-chamber, as indicated by the arrows, until from chamber D thegases pass through conduit K to the regenerator J, which they raise to ahigh temperature, and after leaving which they pass through pipe-sectionG to the exhauster and thence escape. The c0mbustion in the fines E E,&c., is regulated by means of the valves shown and before referred to,prod ucer gas beingintroduced in any or all of the connecting-chambersD, D, D and B, if desired. Atintervals the cock H is turned, with theresult of reversing the course of the burning gas and air through thefluesE E, 850., and the additional result of causing'the air whichsupports combustion to pass through the regenerator heated up by theproducts of combustion, while the second regeneratorthen again begins tostore heat.

As we have already pointed out, the vertical rows E-E, &c., ofcombustion-fines are erected at a short distance from each other, sothat a narrow vertical space or chamber is formed between adjoiningrows. These chambers are the retorts in which we carry on our process ofmaking gas; and the relative arrangement of retorts shown and which weare about to describe is that preferred by us, but not, as will berecognized, essential; and we would here note that the generator, flue,and regenerator system shown and above described is given by us as inour belief the best for use in heating our retorts and not as essentialto the use of said retorts, which might be heated by any convenientsystem.

L is a vertical, narrow, and externally-heated retort-chamber opening atthe bottom into an enlarged chamber N through an elbow L.

. L is a steam-pipe entering the top of retort-chamber L.

L is a valve. Z Z, &c., are battle-tiles secured this retort in ourapparatus is as a superheater for steam. M is a similar vertical,narrow,

and externally-heated retort, at the top of the hopper M withfinely-divided coal-dust or other finely-divided carbonaceous material,and by means of feeder M feed such dust evenly and continuously into theretort M, through which it falls into'chamber N. A pipe L, with valve Lis shown in Fig. 5 to indicate that steam may, if desired, be introducedinto retort M as well as coal-dust.

O is a retort-chamber leading out of chamber N; P, a similar retortconnected at top with O by passage 0.

O is an oil-injector pipe having a valve 0 0 and p are openings throughwhich retorts O and P can be cleaned.

Q is a chamber into which retort P opens at bottom; R, a retort-chamberleading from chamber Q to a conduit S.

S are pipes connecting conduit S with the hydraulic main T in the usualway.

N and Q, are ash-pans.

B, B B and B are Walls which separate the retort-chambers into virtuallythree independent sets of retort-chambers, the steam-' pipes,dust-hoppers, oil-pipes, and exit-conduits being also similarly divided,as is shown, so as to make each division independent of the others. Ofcourse any convenient number 0t such divisions can be made.

To explain now the operation of our process in the above-describedapparatus, the retorts are of course first heated to the necessarytemperature and this heat maintained by external combustion, the heating system shown being such as by manipulation of the valves or a reversalof the direction of combustion to enable the engineer to control thetemperature of the retorts at will. The finely-divided coal-dust is thenfed into the vertical retort M and, falling between the walls thereof, adestructive distillation is effected and coal-gas, togetherwithfinely-divided and very hot coke, will issue from the bottom of retort Minto chamber N. Steam is introduced into chamber N, preferably throughthe retort L, already described, so as to heat it very hot, and comingin contact with the hot particles of coke it combines with it, formingwatergas orcarbonic oxide and hydrogen and ash, which last falls intothe pan N and can be removed at will through the openings U. As beforenoted, steam can at pleasure be admitted into the distillation-retort M,in which case water-gas, as well ascoalgas, will be formed in saidretort. The chamber N is made of comparatively-large area compared withthe retorts, so that the ash may the more readily settle out of thegases which pass from it through retorts O P, chamber Q, and retort R tothe hydraulic main. NVhere it is desired to enrich the gases,hydrocarbon oil canbe introduced, as by pipe 0 The vaporized oil,passing through the retorts (P and R, as shown) in admixture with thegases, forms a'fixed and rich compound gas therewith. The coaldust canbe fed into any number of successive retorts and steam and oilintroduced at more than one, the number and arrangement of the connectedretorts being, of course, variable at the discretion of the constructor.As ash is to a greater or less extent carried through all the retorts,itwill be well to form chambers-such as N and Qat the bottom of each'tworetorts and to provide ash-pans in each of said chambers.

Having now described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is p 1. In a gas-producing apparatus, two sets ofvertically-disposed combustion-fines, said sets being spaced at adistance apart substantially equal to the thickness of one of theflue-walls and forming a narrow vertical retort, a feeding device forsupplying pulverized carbonaceous material in regulated quantity to thetop of the narrow vertical retort thus formed, a receptacle for solidmatter'at the bottom of said narrow vertical retort, and a conduit forgas leading from near the bottom of the retort, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a gas-producing apparatus, two sets of vertically-disposedcombustion-fines, said sets being spaced ata distance apartsubstantially equal to the thickness of one of the flue-walls andforming a narrow vertical retort, a feed ing device for supplyingpulverized carbonaceous material in regulated quantity to the top of thenarrow vertical retort thus formed,

an enlarged chamber at the bottom of the narrow vertical'retort, areceptacle for solid matter at the bottom of the enlarged chamber, and aconduit for gas, leading from near the bottom of the retort,substantially as described.

3. In a gas-producing apparatus, three sets of vertically-disposedcombustion-fines, the proximate sets being spaced at a distance apartsubstantially equal to the thickness of one of the fiuewalls and forminga narrow vertical retort, and the intermediate set being shorter thanthe other two, and thereby forming an enlarged chamber at the base ofthe intermediate set, said chamber connecting the narrow vertical spacesbetween the proximate sets, a feeding device for supplying pulverizedcarbonaceous material to the top of one of the narrow vertical spaces,and an exit-flue leading from the top of the other of the nar rowvertical spaces, substantiallyas described.

at. In a gas-producing apparatus, a narrow vertical retort, incombination with combustion-flues surrounding said retort for heatingthe same externally, a feeding device for supplying pulverizedcarbonaceous material in regulated quantity to the top ofthe retort, anenlarged chamber having a receptacle for solid matter at the bottom ofthe retort, a steam-conduit opening into, and a conduit for gas leadingfrom said enlarged chamber.

XIO

5. In a gas-producing apparatus, a narrow vertical retort, incombination with afeeding device for supplying pulverized carbonaceous 1material in regulated quantity to the top of the retort, an enlargedchamber having a receptacle for solid matter at the bottom of theretort, a narrow vertical retort provided with baiiie-tiles opening atits bottom into the enlarged chamber aforesaid and having a steampipeentering its top, a gas-conduit leading from the enlarged chamber, andcombustionflues surrounding the retorts for heating them externally.

6. In a gas-producing apparatus, a narrow vertical retort, incombination with a feeding device for supplying pulverized carbonaceousmaterial in regulated quantity to the top of the retort, an enlargedchamber having a receptacle for solid matter at the bottom of theretort, a narrow vertical retort provided with bathe-tiles opening atits bottom into the enlarged chamber aforesaid and having a steampipeentering its top, a narrow vertical retort leading upward from theenlarged chamber, a suitable gas-exit, and combustion-fines surroundingthe retorts for heating them externally.

7. In a gas-producing apparatus, a narrow vertical retort, incombination with a feeding device for supplying pulverized carbonaceousmaterial in regulated quantity to the top of the retort, an enlargedchamber having a receptacle for solid matter at the bottom of theretort, a steam-conduit leading into said enlarged chamber, a secondnarrow vertical retort leading upward from the enlarged chamber, a thirdnarrow vertical retort connecting with the second at their tops andhaving a second enlarged chamber with an ash-receptacle at its bottom,an oil-injector leading into the retorts above the first enlargedchamber, a gas-conduit leading from the second enlarged chamber, andcombustion-fines surrounding all of the retorts so as to heat themexternally.

8. In a gas-producing apparatus, a narrow vertical retort, incombination with a feeding device for supplying pulverized carbonaceousmaterial in regulated quantity to the top of the retort, an enlargedchamber having a receptacle for solid matter at the bottom of theretort, a narrow vertical retort provided with baffie-tiles opening atits bottom into the en larged chamber aforesaid and having a steampipeentering its top, a third narrow vertical retortleading upward from theenlarged chamber, a fourth narrow vertical retort connecting with thethird at their tops and having a second enlarged chamber with anash-receptacle at its bottom, an oil-injector leadinginto the retortsabove the first enlarged chamber, a gas-conduit leading from the secondenlarged chamber, and combustion-fines surrounding all of the retorts,so as to heat them externally. 1

9. The gas-producer A, having a grate a, air-passages A and A above andbelow said grate, and gas-passages A and A below and above said grate,in combination with valves a and a situated in each gas-passage,aconduitconnecting with both of said gas-passages, and an exhanster connectedwith said conduit and whereby the gas can be drawn from above or belowthe grate in the producer, according to the arrangement of the valves.

10. In combination with a series of externally-heated gas-retorts,combustion-tines surrounding said retorts, connecting-chambers unitingthe combustion-fines, so as to form a continuous conduit passingbackward and forward around the retorts, an air-conduit leading into thecombustion-flue system at one end thereof, an exhanster arrangedtoconnect with the combustion-flue system at the other end thereof,agas-producer,a conduit leading from said gas-producer to thecombustion-flue system and having gas-passages connected with two ormore of the connecting-chambers, and valves whereby said passages arecontrolled and the gas delivered to the connected chambers at will andin regulated quantity.

11. In combination with a series of externally-heated gas-retorts,combustion-ti nes surrounding said retorts, connecting-chambers unitingthe combustion-fines, so as to form a continuous conduit passingbackward and forward around the retorts, two regenerators, eachconnected with one of the two connecting-chambers at the ends of thecombustionfiue system, an exhauster, conduits leading from theregenerators, a four-way valve arranged to connect the exhauster, theregenerator-conduits, and a pipe-section leading to the open air, sothat one regenerator will be connected with the cxhauster whenever theother is connectedto the open-pipe section, a gas-producer, a conduitleading from the producer to the combustion-fines and provided withindependent branches connecting, re spectively, with the end chambers ofsaid combustion-flue system, and valves to control the flow of gasthrough said branches.

12. In combination with a series of externally-heatedgas-retorts,combustion-fines surrounding said retorts, connecting-chambers unitingthe combustion-fines, so as to form a continuous conduit passingbackward and forward around the retorts, two regenerators, eachconnected with one of the two connecting-chambers at the ends of thecombustionfiue system, an exhauster, conduits leading from theregenerators, a four-way valve arranged to connect the exhauster, theregenerator-conduits, and a pipe-section leading to the open air, sothat one regenerator will be connected with the exhauster whenever theother is connected to the open pipe-section, a gas-producer having agrate, two air-inlet passages, and two gas-exit passages, one of eachsituated above the grate and one of each below said grate, valvesarranged to close and regulate each of said gas-passages, a conduitleading from the producer, and connected with both gas-passages thereof,to the combustionflues and provided with independent branchesconnecting, respectively, with the end chambers of said combustion-fluesystem, and valves to control the flow of gas through said branches.

13. In a gas-producing apparatus, the combination,with a system ofnarrow vertical retorts connected together and provided with devices forfeeding in pulverized fuel and injecting steam, substantially asspecified, of combustion-fines arranged in and forming the walls of theretorts, connecting-chambers at the ends of the retorts, arranged withthe combustion-flues so as to form a continuous conduit passing aroundeach retort in the system, an air-conduit leading into thecombustionflue system at one end thereof, an exhauster arranged toconnect with the combustion-flue system at the end opposite to that atwhich the air-conduit enters it, a gas-producer, a conduit leading fromthe gas-producer to the combustion-flue system and having passagesconnecting with all the connecting-chambers on the side of the retortswhere the air enters said system, and valves arranged in said passages,whereby the gas can be directed into any of the connecting-chambers atwill and in regulated quantity.

14. In a gas-producing apparatus, the combination, with a system ofnarrow vertical retorts connected together and provided with devices forfeeding in pulverized fuel and injecting steam, substantially asspecified, of combustion-ii ues arranged in and forming the walls of theretorts, connecting-chambers at the ends of the retorts arranged withthe combnstion-flues so as to form a continuous contion-flue system, andvalves for controlling said passages.

15. In a gas-producing apparatus, the combination, with a system ofnarrow vertical retorts connected together and provided w th devicesfor'feeding in pulverized fuel and 1njecting steam, substantially asspecified, of combustion-fines arranged in and formin g the walls of theretorts, connecting-chambers at the ends of the retorts, arranged withthe combustion-fines so as to form a continuous con duit passing aroundeach retort in the system, two regenerators connecting, respectlvely,with the chambers at the two ends of the combustion-flue system, anexhauster, a fourway valve having one port connected with the eXhauster,one with the air, and its other two with the two regenerators,respectively, and all so arranged that one regenerator is connected withthe exhauster and the other with the air alternately, a gas-producerhaving two air-inlet passages, a grate, and two gas-exit passages, oneof each situated above the grate and one of each below said grate,valves arranged to close and regulate each of said gaspassages, aconduit leading from the gas-producer, and connected with bothgas-passages thereof, to the combustion-fine system and havinggas-passages connecting with the two ends of the combustion-flue system,and valves for controlling said passages.

16. In a gas-producing apparatus, substantially as specified, thecombination of the parallel Vertical fine-rows E E, &c., made up ofsquare flues e e, 850., and placed so as to form a series of narrowretort-chambers between adjacent flue-rows, connecting-chambers arrangedto unite the'flues into a continuous conduit, and one or morepartition-walls separating the series of retorts into two or more1ndependent series, so that the manufacture of gas can be stopped in theretort systempn one side of said partition without interfering with theoperation of the retort system on the other side thereof.

J OS. H. COLLINS, JR.

ISAAC N. KNAPP.

Witnesses:

LIsLE STOKES, FRANCIS T. CHAMBERS.

